UConn doubles down on championship party

Keila Torres Ocasio

Published 9:45 pm, Sunday, April 13, 2014

UConn's Breanna Stewart waves to the crowds as she and the rest of the women's team rides in an open air bus through the streets in a UConn Victory Parade and Rally held for them and the men's team in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

The UConn men's basketball team rides in an open air bus through the streets in a UConn Victory Parade and Rally held for them and the women's team in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

Rob Couillard, with Connecticut Valley Siberian Husky Club walks in a parade, during the UConn Victory Parade and Rally held for the men and women's team in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

Governor Dannel Malloy and his wife Cathy ride in the parade during a Victory Parade and Rally for the UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

A member of the UConn men's basketball team greets fans during a Victory Parade and Rally for the UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

A Victory Parade and Rally was held for the UConn Men's and Women's...

UConn Men's Basketball team Head Coach Kevin Ollie during a Victory Parade and Rally which was held for the UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

A Victory Parade and Rally was held for the UConn Men's and Women's...

UConn Women's Basketball team Head Coach Geno Auriemma during a Victory Parade and Rally which was held for the UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

A Victory Parade and Rally was held for the UConn Men's and Women's...

UConn Men's Basketball team ride in an open air bus during a Victory Parade and Rally which was held for the UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams in downtown Hartford, Conn. on Sunday April 13, 2014.
Photo: Christian Abraham

HARTFORD -- Shouts of "UConn!" followed by the corresponding "Huskies!" could be heard throughout Sunday, as thousands gathered at the state Capitol to celebrate the University of Connecticut's dual NCAA basketball championships.

"Thank you for believing in us when no one else did," Kevin Ollie, the men's basketball coach, told the crowd, which chanted his name several times.

For many, the parade that led to the Capitol, and the rally there, marked their first time in Hartford celebrating an NCAA championship. The UConn women's team has now won nine such titles; the men's team, four.

"This year it was extra exciting," said Andrew Norton, a Colchester resident who graduated from the university's law school in 1997. Before the parade even started, Norton tried to incite the crowd into a chant by yelling, "UConn!" at the top of his lungs.

But it didn't take much to excite the thousands packed along Trinity Street at the start of the parade route. Adults, teens and children danced along with every parade participant, from the middle school drum lines to the UConn Pep Band.

Although the route was short, the event lasted half an hour longer than the hour pegged by organizers, because the large crowds forced the floats to glide along slower than planned.

Ahmed and Angeli Rahman, both UConn alums, traveled from their home in Providence, R.I., with their two daughters to watch the parade.

"It's fun coming back," Angeli Rahman said.

When the parade finished, the rally was held on the Capitol steps.

"I want to welcome you to the basketball capital of America -- Hartford, Connecticut," said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, minutes before unveiling a new commemorative license plate with the words "Basketball Capital USA" across the bottom.

The rally continued the celebratory spirit of the parade, with the coaches cracking jokes, back and forth.

"I see why you keep coming back," said Ollie -- who won the title in his first NCAA Tournament and second season year as the Huskies' coach -- to UConn women's Coach Geno Auriemma.

Auriemma joked that he has always told people winning championships takes time, since it took him a decade at UConn to win his first.

"And damn Kevin comes along and does it (in) one time," the coach said, laughing.

Auriemma, noting that the teams won dual titles in 2004 as well, repeated several times what an accomplishment that was.

"That's something no one in the history of basketball has ever done even once," he said.

UConn player Stefanie Dolson also got the crowd pumped up by leading a cheer, spelling out U-C-O-N-N with her hands.

And Shabazz Napier, standing next to teammates Niels Giffey and Tyler Olander, remembered their conversation at the beginning of the season.

"We were just thinking to ourselves, 'Come on, what if we win another one? We'd be the only men out there to win two times.' " Napier said, referring the team's 2011 NCAA championship. "And we said, 'Nah, no way.'